Under fire: Gordon Brown is to be given until November to save his premiership

Gordon Brown is to be given until November to save his premiership as Cabinet ministers offer him 'one last chance' to improve Labour's fortunes, it has emerged

Ministers are backing off attempts to create trouble for the Prime Minister ahead of Labour's party conference next month and are waiting to see if his much-touted 'autumn fightback' plan leads to a boost in the polls.

But Mr Brown's critics are poised to act if his economic recovery plan, to be outlined in the pre-Budget report expected in October, fails to make an impact and Labour loses the Glenrothes by-election.

Senior ministers told the Independent today that they believe that it would be a mistake to move against the Prime Minister before the annual conference, which they say would then descend into a 'shambles'.

One senior Labour source said: 'We can't go on as we are. We have either got to get behind him or get rid of him. We can't do both.'

Another minister said: 'It's not the right time to take a leap into the unknown. He deserves one last chance to turn it round and we should support him in that. He might be able to do it. If he can't, then we will have to take some big decisions and think through the consequences."

Some Left-wing MPs may still agitate for change at the conference in Manchester and former Blairite ministers may also voice their criticisms.

And some backbench critics have not given up hope of persuading Cabinet ministers to 'ambush' Mr Brown next month by threatening to resign if he does not stand down.

Although some ministers have deliberately kept their heads down during the holiday period, the Cabinet is expected to close ranks behind Mr Brown at its first meeting of the new political season on 8 September.